Foxfire Bride

• Author: Maggie Osborne
• Publisher: Ballantine, Random House Ivy
• Year: 2004
• Setting: Colorado Territory, 1862
• Amazon Listing: Foxfire Bride

Foxfire Bride is about Fox and Matthew Tanner. A historical romance set in 1862 in the Colorado Territory.

Fox has had a hard life, but has become a strong, good woman in spite of the trials and tribulations she's experienced - some, through no fault of her own, and others brought on by herself. She is one of the best scouts in the territory, until a competitor shoots her in the leg to even the competition. She lives with Peaches Hernandez, and old African-American man that she's been with since she was six or seven.

Matthew Tanner is the son of a rather wealthy businessman. Matthew's father is taken hostage for ransom. Matthew needs to hire the best guide in the territory to take him, and the gold ransom, back to Denver lickety-split. He is quite shocked when he meets Fox, mistaking Peaches for the scout at first.

Obviously, Matthew hires Fox (or there'd be no story...), and the game is on. Both are very attracted to one another, and Peaches helps Fox access her inner-woman and pretty-up her outside.

There are some twists and turns, with angst, and a lot of growth of all the characters throughout the story.